The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-01-20

When j first came here in that year / was
always told that house was in a certain local.
ity, and opposite or near some established land
mark: few if any houses were numbered here
at that time. tsL
While the old custom OF Members Of Congress
having ''messes" together, has been entirely
abandoned for number of years, at the present
time there are comparatively few Congressman
who keep house, or who lire in the same place
TWO SUCCESSIVE YEARS,
and OF those who do the greater proportion are
Senator'S who, being elected for six years, feel
themselves to a certain extent permanent, and
so find il worth while 20 own house in Wash
ington in which TO live during the sessions Of
Congress, else to lease one for term of years.
But the Members of the House of Representa-
tives being elected for only two years. and few
of them having reason to feel secure of re-
election, rarely own or rent dwellings in Wash
ington TO be used exclusively by themselves,
though there are few exceptions. Some live
in hotels, and live well others in the better
class of boarding-hJuses while number of
them have very poor accommodations, lodging
in shabby rooms several squares distant from
the places where they take their meals,
and often eating in diusy, ill-furnished back
room or basement, where the atmosphere and
odors are sufficient in themselves, without the
additional aggravatiou OF food of a bad quality
and ill-cooked Though they usually have that,
too, TO engender that fruitful cause Of so many
deaths among Congressman and other public
men-indigestion, which cannot fail to bring
about distorted views on public as well as pri-
vate questions, and so cause bad legislation as
well as domestic infelicities
THIS Is NO ExAGGERATIoN.
Enough spublished in all the newspapers which
treat of social matters at the National Capital in
regard to the style of living and dwellings of the
Congressman who keep house and entertain
company, and whose wives have regular recep-
tion days. As contrast, will describe how
have seen certain Congressman, whose wives
at least had been accustomed before their mar
riages TO luxurious homes, live in Washington.
A couple who ate in a roo,n such as i have in
| dicated above, and had the badly cooked food
also, had lodgings nearly four squares distant,
on the third floor in a house whose first story
wasapproaehed by a long fight of steps from the
| street. The house was poorly furnished through
out. The halls leading 10 the rooms used by
the NJ C., his wife and child were dark by day
and night, for in the evening only very dim
gas burner was permitted to be lighted on the
first floor, and none was burned in the halls on
the floors above.
The Congressman and his wife and any visi-
tors who were admitted TO see them, had tC
stumble up the stairs as best they could to their
rooms Their so-called parlOr was shabbily
carpeted and poorly furnished and served fol
the play-roOm and nursery of the little boy
and the sitting-room ami sewing room of the
mother, as well as the fathers study when an
swering his letters or preparing his speeches
| The toys, the baby-carriage and the nursery
| refrigerator in which
THE BABY's MILK
was kept were all in this room. as we'll as the
mothers work basket and card basket (the lat
ter overlooking with cards from foreign and
domestic dignitaries on which the Member:
wife had called, notwithstanding the fact that
she had no suitable room in which to receive
! company.) Also one stumbled over Congressional
Records and the Congrogsnan's mail to be sent
TO his constituents. including books, papers anC
seeds from the Agricultural Department, in thi;
| same room.
Some Congressional families instead Of goinl
| out TO meals have them sent TO their lodging
by caterers, who send the food through tn,
streets 4 mile perhaps in covered tin boxes, anC
when il is brought in, none too hot, the law
makers writing materials and MSS, including
his half-fnished speech on the side Of the capi
talists, perhaps, are showed to one side of hi
table and the food is deposited on the remain
ing space which is covered during the mea
with cloth bearing decided evidences of hav
| ing seen better days. as well as of having beer
much used since it was last washed To thi
unappetiZing repast the family draw up ant
wonder why they imagined before coming (
Washington that earth had no brighter lot {
offer than that of Congressman's family il
Washington. Miss GRUSDY.